Digital photography has become a part of everyday life. Over the past decade or so, users have been provided with an increasing array of functionality in both their digital cameras and in the options available for downstream processing of their digital photos. For example, users now have a myriad of software applications, which may be used to manipulate their photos.
Paradoxically, many users are overwhelmed and confused by the increasing functionality offered by these new technologies. For these users, who still wish to enjoy the benefits of digital photography, there is a need for simpler means of processing and printing their photos once they have been captured on their cameras.
At present, there are a number of options available for users who wish to display and print their photos. Typically, once a user captures a set of images on his digital camera, he uploads them onto a computer for storage, manipulation and processing. Some users enjoy using photo editing applications for manipulation of their photos; many simply wish to organize their photos into a format that can be displayed and/or printed. Typically, this involves selecting their favorite images from a set, saving these images into a folder, and optionally saving these selected images onto a CD, DVD or other memory device.
There are various display options for users who do not wish to print photos. The photos may be viewed directly on a computer screen. Another option is to view photos saved onto a CD or DVD using a home DVD player.
There are also various printing options. Some users may take their CD, DVD or other memory device into a high street digital photo shop for printing their photos. Other users may prefer to print their photos at home using a color inkjet printer.
Given the recognition in the art that many users enjoy simplicity over functionality, there are some commercially available options, which remove the need for processing photos on a PC.
PictBridge printers allow images to be printed directly from a digital camera to a printer, without having to connect the camera to a computer. By connecting a PictBridge-enabled printer to a PictBridge-enabled camera using a single USB cable, users can easily control print settings using their camera and produce high quality photos without using a PC. A major advantage of PictBridge printing is its simplicity for the user, and especially those users for whom complex photo application software may be a barrier.
However, a disadvantage of current PictBridge printers is that users must select photos for printing using the display screen on their cameras. Whilst digital camera display screens have increased in size over the years, they will never be able to replicate a standard 6″×4″ photo, because digital cameras are required to be pocket-sized. Accordingly, it is difficult for users to properly view an image on their camera display screen prior to printing. It is especially difficult to see if a particular image is in focus, which is a major selection criteria for printing photos. This inherent disadvantage of PictBridge printing results in many unwanted photos being printed.
Alternatively, digital photo frames (or digital picture frames) were developed in recognition of the fact that users tend to print fewer photos using digital photography. A digital photo frame comprises a frame having a display screen (e.g. LCD screen) of about the same size and shape as an ordinary picture frame. Digital photo frames display images often directly from a memory card (or other flash memory device) in high resolution. Most digital photo frames also have the ability to display slide shows or short movies. Examples of digital photo frame manufacturers are Ceiva, Nikon, Polaroid and Kodak.
However, whilst digital photo frames conveniently allow the display of photos, without the need for a PC, a user who wishes to print their favourite photos from a set of images is still required to select these photos and print them off. The user could remember which photos are his favourites, insert the memory card back into his camera and print his favourite photos using a PictBridge printer. This is obviously a somewhat laborious procedure. Otherwise, the user has to resort to file management via his PC, and prepare a new folder containing his favorite photos for printing. Clearly, this is undesirable for users who purchased a digital photo frame wishing to avoid using a PC.
In view of the above, it would be desirable to provide users with a simple means for conveniently displaying digital photos, whilst allowing selected photos to be printed when required. It would be further desirable to achieve this goal without the need for a computer or the use of photo editing or photo management applications.
It would also be desirable to provide an improved PictBridge printer, which provides users with improved options for selecting photos for printing, without the need for a computer or the use of photo editing or photo management applications.
It would also be desirable to provide users with simpler or more intuitive methods for printing than those methods currently used. It would be further desirable, from a commercial point of view, if such methods encouraged users to print more photos.